HCM City, May 23 (VNA) - The HCM City Department of Transport has asked for approval from the Ministry of Transport to use English on street signs to serve foreign tourists.

Since streets are named after people, mostly Vietnamese individuals, the only word to be changed on the sign will be “duong”, which means street.

Samples of English street signs are at the department for the public to view.

Nguyen Vinh Ninh, head of the department’s division for urban traffic management No 1, said the department had assigned the division to collect opinions about the signs’ design and locations from residents, experts and foreign tourists.

Under the country’s technical standards, there are no regulations about the use of foreign language on street signs.

Tran Doan Phi Anh, former head of the Southern Transportation Development and Research Centre, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that large cities such as HCM City, Hanoi and Da Nang have attracted a large number of foreign tourists and English signs would be helpful.

He said that city authorities should pilot the installation of bilingual traffic signs on the city’s main streets and collect feedback from residents and foreigners.

Le Minh Triet, head of the Saigon River Tunnel Management Centre, told the local media that the centre would put up signs initially on Vo Van Kiet, Ky Con and Nguyen Thai Hoc streets in District 1 this month, and later on highways and streets near Tan Son Nhat International Airport.